Oblivion: The Chaos Effect
by Draygone
Summary: A whole story on 'whatifs' that came to me while my friend was designing a character as I was playing. I'm not giving anything away, so you'll just have to read, now won't you?
1. 1: The Shadow Man

**Author's note: **No, I do NOT own Oblivion (which is copyrighted by Bethesda!)! I wish I did, though. That would be so cool.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid me! _How could he have been so stupid and gotten caught? The figure in the cell paced back and fourth, in a rhythmic pattern, turning around at the table, and then at the bed. It was impossible to tell what race this person was, only that he was a male, and was not an Orc or one of the beastfolk.

"Baurus, lock that door behind us." The prisoner paused for a second, apparently looking at the Iron Gate that blocked his only way to freedom. He stood still as three oddly armored guards, not wearing the traditional imperial guard armor, and one elderly man dressed in expensive clothing walked up to his portcullis.

"What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off-limits!" An Imperial woman in the unknown armor sternly asked another Imperial to her right.

"Err, the usual mix-up with the watch, I'll—" He didn't get to finish, as the woman abruptly cut him off.

"Never mind, just get that gate open."

The imperial male looked over at the unknown prisoner, and a shiver ran through his spine. Even though there was very little light in the cell, the prisoner's eyes were _red_. They weren't the kind of red a Dark Elf had, these were demonic; a pair of satanic orbs that seemed to have a lust for blood. The male blinked for a second, and when he opened his eyes, all he saw was a dark silhouette of the prisoner.

The male guard recovered quickly, mentally telling himself, _it's okay. All it is is the past few hours playing tricks on me._ He straightened out and said, "Prisoner! Stay where you are, by the window. The prisoner made no attempts to speak; the only thing he did was sit down to indicate he wasn't going anywhere. _He's a mute._ Mutes were rare in Cyrodiil, but they _did _make good thieves, with their better hearing and natural silence. I made some sense to him.

They entered the gate after they were sure that the prisoner would not get up. The man in the robes looked over at the mysterious person. "Please, stand up and come over into the light so I can get a good look at you." The cellmate made no effort to move. The three bodyguards, obviously used to working for this important man, moved to protect him just in case the prisoner wanted to attack. Only then did the figure move to stand up. When he came out into the light, his features made everyone do a double-take.

_Author's note: _Haha, I'm so evil! The description will have to wait for when I make chapter two! XD


	2. 2: Who is he?

**AN:** I know that the last part was short, but I'll try to make this one longer.

_The three bodyguards, obviously used to working for this important man, moved to protect him just in case the prisoner wanted to attack. Only then did the figure move to stand up. When he came out into the light, his features made everyone do a double-take._

The prisoner was a young Imperial. He was in his late teens or early twenties. The boy was taller than an average Imperial man, standing about six foot three, with toned muscles and a gaunt face. What bothered them the most were his hair and eyes. His hair was pulled back, but the color was a steel grey-blue color. His eyes were even odder. They started out a deep blue on the outside of the iris, but as it came toward the pupil, they turned into a blood red color. His pupils were slits; the kind a cat has.

The strange Imperial spoke something in a different language. The guards, who believed he was a mute, stared at him. He spoke again, this time using the standard Tamrielic dialect. "What do you want?" He asked, his eyes narrowing. His voice was filled to the brim with hatred.

The well-dressed man spoke, "You are the one from my dreams," The younger Imperial prisoner raised a eyebrow at that comment, but as he did, his eyes fell onto an object that the older Imperial was wearing. It was an amulet, with a red diamond in the center, surrounded by gold. His eyes were a mix of fear, recognition, awe, and anger. _He's the emperor! _The prisoner tried to back away, but tripped on a chair leg and fell back, catching himself just in time, avoiding a concussion.

These antics seemed to amuse Uriel Septim VII, and he continued, his expression turning serious. "Then today is the day," he paused, looking hard at the prisoner. "What is your name?"

The young Imperial responded, "Kalen. Kalen Von Chaos. What's going on?"

The Redguard guard, who didn't say anything yet, finally spoke, interrupting the emperor. "Von? What are you, an odd vampire or something?"

Kalen shook his head. "No, I'm more of a…… a human than those monsters."

The female guard interrupted before the Redguard could make another comment. "Baurus, shut up. We need to get going. We don't have time to make friends with," She paused, looking at Kalen, "with _criminals_." She said the word with enough venom to make a snake envious.

Baurus nodded. "Yes, Captain Renault."

The emperor finally spoke again, answering Kalen's other question. "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next" Kalen, at this point, lowered his gaze to meet the floor, as it there were sapphires coming out of his toes. "My blades are leading me along a secret escape route, which by chance, is through your cell." He stopped and looked at the captain.

Renault nodded, and pressed in a stone beside the bed, revealing a secret passageway. Kalen's jaw dropped. _If I knew that would happen, Hell, I'd be way ahead of them._ He stepped back as the three guards and the emperor proceeded through the entryway.

The male Imperial guard stopped and looked at the prisoner. "It looks like today is your lucky day, just stay out of our way."

Kalen nodded and followed the blades, pausing at the opening. It was a dark cavern, and it smelled as if there were rotting corpses down through the tunnels. _It's going to lead me to my freedom,_ he thought, _but the sins I've committed. No. I won't let them find out again. They won't be able to put me back into a cell. I can finally get my revenge._ His eyes shown in the darkness, like a cats', but instead they shown red. Blood red.

**AN:** Chapter two is up! Yeah! Kalen is a very mysterious person. Why did he look down when Uriel said "Assassins attacked my sons"? You'll find out in a later chapter, so just keep that in mind.


	3. 3: The Assassins

It's going to lead me to my freedom_ he thought, _but the sins I've committed. No. I won't let them find out again. They won't be able to put me back into a cell. I can finally get my revenge._ His eyes shown in the darkness, like a cats', but instead they shown red. Blood red._

Kalen was the first to sense something was wrong in the tunnel.

"We're not alone." He started, but was immediately cut off by Renault.

"How could you possibly know that, boy?" She spat. "We're trained to sense these kinds of things, and I can't fell anything out of the ordinary!"

"But-"

"Stop complaining, prisoner," Baurus said. "It's better for all of us. The captain will usually get her way." This got the Redguard some unwanted attention from the female Imperial.

"All of you, just. Shut. Up." She never got to finish her sentence, as an arrow struck her square in her heart. Captain Renault fell to the ground, dying in a pool of her own blood from an unseen enemy.

The remaining two guards instantly drew their swords, protecting the emperor with their bodies. Kalen looked into the direction the arrow was shot from, and immediately he saw two forms; cloaked by a weak Chameleon spell.

They shed the illusion magic and their true forms were revealed. One was a male Imperial; the other was a male Dark Elf. They both wore matching maroon robes and hood.

Kalen swore. _It can't be them. They died! They were wiped out!_ His thoughts were interrupted as the two assailants summoned special cobalt-silver armor and matching mace. _No. It's them._

"Aim for the lower chest." He informed the two guards, who looked at him questioningly. "Just trust me. That's their weak spot."

_I hope their weaknesses are still the same,_ Kalen thought,_ because it they're not, we're screwed._

**AN:** Okay. Chapter three was shorter than I wanted, but I wanted to stop here. How does Kalen know these mysterious assassins? Once agian, you have to tune in later. Oh, and an important thing; I have school Monday through Friday, and that means I'll be very busy, so I'll try to work on the chapters on the weekends.


	4. 4: The Primal Fury

**AN:** I didn't like the first chapter four, so here is my new version!

_

* * *

_

Kalen's eyes locked on to the Dark Elf in cobalt-silver armor moving forward at pace faster than anyone could react to. Except for Kalen. He ducked just as the silver mace whizzed over where his head would be.

"Ka-Kale?" The Dunmer paused in his attack, giving Kalen just enough time to throw the slimmer elf to the ground. As the Imperial pinned him to the ground using his body weight, preventing him from breathing, the elf gasped, "You're with _them._ That's bad for us" The Dunmer un-summoned his helmet, revealing dark blue-grey skin and maroon eyes.

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" Kalen hissed, his blue and red eyes narrowing.

"They sent me to find you, before, _you know_," he paused, glancing at the emperor and the two blades, the later two had killed the armor-clad Imperial.

Kalen followed his eyes, looking at the blade's and the emperor's confused looks. He turned back to the dark elf, and whispered in his other language, "_Leave me alone. I can handle everything they throw at me. Tell them I will never come back. No matter how much they sweeten the deal, unless they can bring _her_ back, I have no intention of returning. Oh, and if you or anyone else comes to bring me back, I swear, I will bury them, I will bury them so far down, the worms won't even be able to feed on your corpse! And I'll just laugh at your eternal pain! _" He paused, letting the dark elf up, "Go. Tell them that." He spoke in the normal Tamrielic dialect.

The Dark Elf only chuckled as he got up. "_Kale, you have mad the biggest mistake in your life. I was ordered to return here with either you, or your head. I was also ordered to return with the old guy's shiny necklace. You know what it is, also. We need it. And we need you. Dead or alive._" He grinned, showing to long fangs. His tongue flicked out, exactly like a snake's; long, thin, and forked. Scales appeared as his body changed, becoming more like a snake with two arms. "_You and I will fight, like we did during the rebellion._"

Kalen's eye's blazed in an uncontrolled anger. "You were the one! You betrayed us to Him, didn't you?!?! You told him!" His voice was deeper, almost a snarl as his ears pointed. Within seconds, instead of an Imperial standing, there was a large black canine with cobalt blue tribal markings on his legs, crouched and eyeing the snake.

At this point, Baurus's eyes and jaw were on the floor from shock. This was the first time the Redguard felt this much fear. "Kalen?" The wolf paid no attention. His ears were tight against his skull, and Baurus thought not even a crowbar could get them loose.

Kalen lunged in blind fury at the Dunmer-turned-serpent. "_Everything I worked for, gone because of you! I will kill you, Sieve, you damn bastard!_"

Sieve looked generally surprised at the sudden ferocity of his old friend. "_What are you talking about?_" He asked, dodging as the black wolf hurtled towards him. "_That was-_"

"_You did this. You were the one who destroyed my life! I will kill you. I will KILL YOU!_" Kale screamed in the ancient dialect. His body shook with rage as an insane howl escaped his mouth. Kalen had momentarily fled into a dark abyss in his mind. What took over was a raging mass of primal fury and bottled-up feelings.

* * *

**AN:** Poor Kalen. Anyway, I like this chapter four MUCH better than my first chapter four! If you didn't read it, that one sucked. 


	5. 5: Blades

**AN:** I can't remember how to spell the Imperial blade's name. I think it was Glenory, so that is his name in this story, darn it.

* * *

Kalen lost control of any reasoning. He lunged at Sieve time and time again, who just kept trying to dodge time and time again. The serpent was bleeding by various cuts from close calls with the wolf's sharp teeth. 

"_Dammit, Kale! Stop for once and listen to REASON! I told you already, I didn't tell anyone!_" The serpent screamed, launching his own attack. Kalen easily dodged, counterattacking with a ferocious bite. He struck Sieve's chest square, tearing skin.

"_I'll kill you!_" Kalen's insanity and hatred consumed him.

The wolf was tired. He was reaching his limits. His attacks were slowing, and Sieve knew this. The serpent slammed the canine against the wall with a force that broke a few ribs. Kale slumped to the ground, in pain and exhaustion.

"_Kale, I had hoped you would reconsider. But I was wrong. I was loyal to you, you know. I'm sorry, but I must leave. I, too, am valued back home._" Sieve conjured up magic. A large portal appeared behind him, and he disappeared. The portal closed as Kalen struggled to stand, now fully human again.

"Damn you, Sieve. You coward," he hissed to the air. He turned around and his face paled; The two Blades and the emperor stood staring at him like he had just became a wolf and started fighting a Dark Elf who turned into a snake. Which he had.

"I didn't remember you there," He began, his eyes wide with fear.

The Imperial Blade drew his sword and approached the prisoner. "You are an abomination! You should have rotted in that cell! Death is exactly what you deserve!"

Baurus tried defending Kalen. "Glenory, that thing attacked him first. That was his only weapon, although a bit cruel." He couldn't understand what the two were saying. All any normal person could hear were growls and hisses in patterns.

Kalen leaned on a wall for support. Sweat made stray cobalt hair cling to his face. "Baurus, death is one thing I have been asking for for a _long_ time."

The emperor spoke up. "He must help us, but we must continue on. Our paths will separate, but will meet again." The three men left the prisoner to himself, going through a wooden door that looked like it would rot off its hinges any moment. Glenory locked the door behind him.

"I still don't trust him," He growled when the Redguard looked at him.

* * *

Baurus sighed as he stepped between three maroon-clad assassins. Whoever they were, they were good. Even the blade's heightened senses couldn't detect them until it was almost too late. 

Glenory walked up to Baurus. "That's the last of them. How many of these bastards are we going to meet?"

The Redguard responded, "I don't know, but Kalen was pretty strong. At least _He _could sense them." The Imperial's jaw tightened, but didn't say anything.

The emperor walked up to them, blood staining the bottom of his robe. "We should continue on," He said. Baurus noticed that he was exhausted, and wondered how long any of them would last if they kept this up.

"We're almost there, Sir." The Redguard saluted.

Another door, and with Glenory in front of the emperor and Baurus behind him, they continued forward.

As soon as they closed the door, three assassins jumped down from a hidden ledge. One of them yelled "Prepare to die!"

The two exhausted blades brought their swords up in defense. Baurus didn't know who these guys were or why they had a grudge against the emperor, but he mentally promised himself that if he lived, he would take a week long break and relax. That motivated his body to fight. He and Glenory managed to fight off all three assailants.

Baurus slid down against a broken pillar, panting hard. "We… Did it."

"I'll say you did." The voice made Baurus jump. Kalen laughed, showing teeth. He had walked up completely silent, Baurus didn't notice him.

"I hate you," he gasped, trying to calm his already racing heart.

"Dammit, it's that prisoner again!" Glenory hissed, "Kill him, he's working with the assassins!"

Emperor Uriel Septim VII stopped him. "No. He is not one of them. He can help us, he _must _help us."

Baurus waited, resting as the cobalt haired Imperial talked to the emperor, with Glenory watching them like a mother Mud Crab would over her hatchlings.

When they were done talking, they continued on, with Kalen moving to walk beside Baurus.

When he finally got a good look at the Imperial, Baurus realized that he looked worse than them. He had stolen a maroon robe from one of the assassins, but it was torn in many places. Small cuts also covered his body. A steel short sword was sheathed at his right side.

"I'm left handed." Kalen explained. "Actually, I'm ambidextrous. I prefer to fight with my left, though. It gives me an advantage."

Baurus nodded, but jumped as Glenory unsheathed his sword. They had arrived at a gate, which was apparently locked.

"Dammit, It's locked! It's barred from the other side! A trap!"

"What about that side passage over there?" Baurus asked, pointing to another hallway.

"Worth a try." They started moving again. As soon as they moved in, they noticed that it was a dead end.

Glenory swore. "It's a trap! Wait here sire."

Baurus turned to Kalen. "Wait her with the emperor. _Guard him with your life._" Kalen nodded. The two blades ran off into the other room, and soon the slashing of steel on steel could be heard.

Kalen was itching to fight. Part of him wanted to become a wolf again, but another part told him to stay there.

The emperor grabbed his arm, and placed the amulet gently into the taller Imperial's hand. "I can go no further. You alone must stand up to the Prince of Destruction," he paused, his ice blue eyes staring into Kalen's red and blue ones. "Take the amulet, bring it to Jauffre, he knows where you can find the last heir. Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

A secret door opened, and another assassin leapt down and hit the emperor in the back of the head in almost one fluid motion. Kalen flew into a rage at this. He drew his sword, plunging it straight into the man's helmet as blood covered his hands.

He turned back to the emperor, and his blood ran cold. Emperor Uriel Septim VII was dead.

* * *

**AN:** YEAH! This one's long! Oh, and just so you people know, Kalen is NOT a werewolf! He's just a guy who can turn into a wolf. That sounded a lot like Link from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but it is different. I actually thought of this before I heard of that game. 


	6. 6: Escaping the Prison

Kalen couldn't believe it. Time seemed to stop as the shapeshifter stared into the emperor's lifeless eyes.

Baurus walked up, his metal boots clanking against the stone floor. "No," he whispered. "Talos save us. We've failed. _I've_ failed." He trailed off, mentally and emotionally crushed.

"I'm sorry for this. It was my fault," Kalen apologized. "You told me to protect him. I've failed your orders."

The Redguard noticed something off. "The amulet. Where's the Amulet of Kings? It wasn't on his body." Kalen explained the story, and when he was done, Baurus nodded. "The emperor trusted you. You should take it to Jauffre. He lives outside of Chorrol. He is the grandmaster of the Blades. If there really is another heir, he would know. I'll stay here to mourn. Continue on, ant take no chances. Take the amulet straight to him, do you understand?"

Kalen nodded and, without saying anything, walked out through the secret opening in the wall.

* * *

The daylight sun blinded the Imperial as he stepped out for the first time in days. 

"Took you long enough, idiot." The feminine voice made Kalen jump in surprise.

"Lena? You weren't waiting here for me the whole time, were you? _Alone_?" He asked, turning to look at her for the first time. She was a young Breton, only fifteen. She had long dark brown hair pulled back into a braid that reached her shoulder blades. An Iron dagger was strapped to her waist.

"No! I waited here with Rosemary." At the sound of her name, a large paint horse trotted up to meet them. Upon seeing the Imperial, she nudged him with her nose and snorted.

"_Nothing happened to us. It IS a good thing you came, though. She was about to go look for you._" The horse replied, indicating to Lena with a flick of her ear.

"What did she say?" The Breton asked. She couldn't understand animals like her Imperial friend could. Kalen smiled evilly

"She said that you're annoying and-" He didn't finish, as a rock barely missed him. It landed in the water, summoning an angry Mud Crab to the shore. Lena screamed.

"Kill it! I hate those things!" She shouted to Kalen as she climbed a rock. Kalen sighed as he stabbed it through its heart.

"You are one big scaredy-Kajiit," he told her as he helped the Breton down. Together they led the paint horse back to the stables of the Imperial City.

* * *

"Adrial, I'm back!" Kalen said as he walked into the last house on the waterfront. As soon as he walked into the front door, he was hit with a wave of in scents. Adrial turned to look at him for a brief second. She was a Wood Elf; thin and small. She smiled. 

"Well, Kale. Nice to see you're still alive. I'm working on a new potion, so hold on. I'm almost done." She turned back to her many Alchemy ingredients, ranging from a simple apple to rarer items like a clanfear claw.

The Imperial took a seat behind her and pulled a book off of one of her many makeshift shelves. "Beggar Prince?" He raised an eyebrow, "I thought you didn't like these kinds of books."

Adrial paused in her work. "I don't. That shelf is Lena's. She's living with me, now." The potion blew up in her face. Coughing, the Bosmer wiped black potion remains off of her face. "Well, where is she, now?"

"Over at the garden of Dareloth. You know, thieves guild stuff." Kalen leaned back in the chair, only to find it was not very sturdy, and fell onto the ground as the legs snapped.

Adrial laughed. "That'll tech you to be nice to my furniture, you stupid wolf." She grinned and offered the man a hand. Kalen took it and brushed dust off of his pants after he stood up.

"I have some important news for you. You also need to see this," Kalen pulled out the Amulet of Kings from his pocket.

The Bosmer gasped. "Where did you get that?" The Imperial retold her the entire story about the prison, the emperor, Sieve, and the assassins. When he had finished, Adrial spoke. "After all this time, they were hiding; growing in numbers. What concerns me even more is that Sieve had teamed up with them. What are you going to do with _that_?" She pointed to the Amulet.

"I'm taking it to Jauffre, a Blade who lives near Chorrol. And before you ask, _no_, you are not coming along. I'm faster with just me."

"And you're dumber. Remember that one time in the Aylied ruins? One, you got lost in there, and two, you got captured by bandits who wanted to sell you on the black market. And _I_ had to save you. You're also terrible with directions. We're coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Kalen sighed. All of those things _were_ true. "Whatever. We leave when Lena comes back."

Almost on cue, the wooden door burst open and an overly excited Breton girl rushed in, carrying a handful of flowers. "Hi, Kalen, Adrial! I got you flowers!" She handed them to the Bosmer, who put them in a vase.

Kalen looked over to the two girls. "Alright, then. We're leaving for Chorrol in ten minutes, so get ready."

* * *

**AN:** Booyeah! Chapter six! I must thank Oblivionfreak, 99luftbalons, and werewolfheartless42 for reviewing! 


	7. 7: Bandits and Secrets

"Are we there yet?" Lena asked for the umpteenth time.

Kalen glared at her. "What in Oblivion makes you think we're there? We _just_ left. Two hours ago." He pulled a map out from a pack he got from the prison. "We'll be at Weynon Priory by nightfall. I think."

"Oh, really? I'm hungry. Can we stop for food?" The young Breton found great pleasure in tormenting the Imperial.

"Stop right there, you three!" A hissing voice came from a bush beside them. A Kajiit in leather armor walked out, a bow in his hand. "You're gold or your life!"

Kalen opened his mouth to respond, but Lena got there before him. "You can try, Mr. Furball, but do you know who you're dealing with?" She indicated to the cobalt-haired Imperial next to her. "This is Kalen, and he's the best fighter in all of Cyrodiil! He's a lot faster and he could totally kick your feline butt into next week!"

Kalen wanted to die of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, sir. She doesn't have a lot of manners. Will one hundred and fifty gold be enough?"

The Kajiit lifted his bow and took aim at the Kalen. "I think you're life is a better payment." He pulled back an arrow and let go.

Kalen dodged the arrow with little effort. "Shit! Why am I the one you target? She was the one that talked!" He leapt onto a rock and crouched in a fighting position. Sparks appeared on his hands, which ignited into a small fireball. "Feeling lucky?" He had a sadistic look on his face.

* * *

Sieve walked into a dark room. Even though his eyesight was better than a normal Dunmer's, his eyes could barely see anything.

"You failed us yet again, serpent," a feminine voice growled from the darkness.

"Please forgive me, my lady, but he wouldn't listen. He thinks I was the one who betrayed them. He won't talk to me; only attack."

A different, more masculine voice came from the darkness, and a pair of glowing green eyes shone from the darkness. "Sieve, I thought you two were friends; partners. If we're to succeed, we need everybody. That includes Kalen and that bird! Do you understand?"

Sieve bowed. "Yes, m' lords. But he will just go into a blind rage if he sees me. I don't know what to do if we meet again."

The female spoke again. "I'll go myself if you fail. At least _I_ do what He tells me to do. Dismissed."

"Thank you."

"Sieve, this is your last time."

Sieve nodded, although he doubted either could see him, and left. _Now all I have to do is find out how to meet him again._ A grin formed on his lips as an idea formed in his mind. "Kalen. You will be mine. You will come back to us, eventually."

* * *

The cobalt-haired Imperial released the fireball. It hit the bandit's head; killing him instantly. "In eighty years, you could possibly be a match for me." He turned towards his two escorts. Lena looked at him like he had grown two heads. "What?"

"Your fire; it was blue!" The young Breton looked at her friend like he was a demon from the depths of oblivion. "That's not natural!"

Kalen forgot that Lena didn't know about his little secret about him being a shapeshifter. He had known her for so long that he felt at ease around her. "Uhh, that's because I—"

Adrial cut him off. "It's because he's a very powerful mage. Although, you wouldn't think he was one if you just saw him. We should continue moving. Weynon Priory is close, and it's getting dark out, so we should continue on."

Lena nodded and took the lead. The Bosmer fell back to walk beside Kalen. "_Thanks. You saved me back there._" He whispered in the ancient language. Adrial smiled. "_She doesn't know what we are, so I think it would be best If we—_"

The Wood Elf stopped him with her hand. "It's okay. We need to protect ourselves, like vampires, right?" Kalen nodded, although he disagreed with the vampire part. He hated them, and being compared to one made him feel uneasy.

"Hey! Come on! I can see Chorrol! Hurry up! It's getting dark, and I'm hungry!" Lena called from ahead.

Adrial grinned and started running towards the Breton girl. "_We should get going, so you should run. You ARE a wolf, right?_" She called back to Kalen. "_You don't want to miss out on food. Lena's going to eat it all if you don't hurry!_"

Kalen grinned and ran, but his mind was in turmoil. _If we give the Amulet to Jauffre, what will happen? The Dawn will come soon; Twilight soon after. The Rebellion of the twilight will come again, and we will finish what we started!

* * *

_

**AN:** Wow. I have been busy these past few days, and this is all I came out with? Wow. I am pitiful. Anyway, a flashback is in the next chapter, so you will understand SOME things like Sieve and Kalen, what they are, and other stuff.


	8. 8: Memories

Kalen stopped as soon as he reached the outskirts of Weynon Priory. His mind took everything in. Weynon Priory consisted of three buildings; a chapel, a small shack, and a larger house, probably for the priests. Twilight fell on the land as Kalen recalled a familiar, peaceful time; the calm before a storm.

_Kalen looked out the window of the daedric tower Death' Manure. His maroon robes kept out the heat of Oblivion, while his hood shaded his face. His red and blue eyes stared out coldly at the baron, desolate wasteland that he had called home. Even now, as his body was filled with adrenalin from the anticipation of the plan, he stood perfectly still; a stone statue overlooking a master's garden for all of eternity._

"_Master Kalen." The voice was sweet, feminine. The Imperial turned to the little Bosmer. Being the height that he was, she only came up to his ribs. Her magnificent green eyes were full of worry. "You haven't slept yet. You need your strength."_

_Kalen looked at her. It was true that he hadn't gotten enough sleep, but the calm before the storm could do that to one. "I'm fine. It's almost time to start the move. Is the rest of the team ready?"_

"_Yes, master."_

"_Good." The Imperial turned back to look out the window; back out to the lifeless red sky. He was so close to panicking; so close to just throw everything away, to just abdicate everything everyone worked hard to earn. Kalen thought about his comrades; men and women; Daedra and human. They respected him and believed him their leader. Those were the only things that he cared about. They had suffered the same hardships he had once suffered. He owed it to them to keep a cool and collected composure. After all, who would want a leader who would panic and abandon them as soon as the first trial had started?_

"_Kale, I'm worried about you. You just stare out the window all day, thinking. I know you have to be a calm leader, but I miss the old you. I miss the one who kept cracking jokes and the one who always smiled; no matter what life threw at him. There is too much stress."_

_Kalen turned back at her, eyes blazing. "What, do you think you know how it is to be the leader? If we fail, do you know what _I_ will lose? If we lose, I will be murdered, or worse! I'll have everything stripped from my title and cast into the damn realm of Tamriel!" He caught himself as he realized his calm composure had slipped. He turned away, guilty for what he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for—" He trailed off, at a loss for words._

_Adrial looked out the window as well. "It's almost like the calm before the storm."_

_Another elf walked into the room. This one was a Dunmer. "Kale, the red team is in position. We must begin our attack now, or else we _will_ fail."_

_Kalen turned from the window. "You know what to do, Sieve. Dismissed," The Imperial murmured. The Dunmer bowed and left the room. "Adrial, I will speak to you later. Right now, you have a job to do. As do I."_

_Adrial knew that he wanted to drop the conversation for good. "Very well, my lord," She said. "I will do as you command."_

"Kalen?" Adrial's voice returned the Imperial into the real world. "Are you alright?"

Kalen responded, "Yes, I'm fine. I just thought of something. About the Rebellion." He turned his attention to the ground as he started walking with the Bosmer. "It was just a memory, nothing more." In one pocket, his hand gripped the Amulet of Kings tightly, as if reassuring himself that it was still there.

Another memory came into his head; this one more painful.

_Kalen was in his wolf form in chains. Around him, there were eight animals; a horse, lioness, bird, snake, bear, Minotaur, boar, and a large Ogre. Each one was larger than their average animal, and had several tribal markings on them._

"_Kalen. You have betrayed us by joining the Rebellion! You have disgraced the name of Mehrunes Dagon, and I will _**not**_ tolerate it!__" The bear snarled._

_Kalen stared at the ground. The rebellion had lost. Someone from within had betrayed them, and the wolf would pay the price. His pride had been shattered, but something defiant still stirred within him. He raised his head. His crimson eyes met the bear's black eyes. A familiar feeling welled up inside of him. It was an uncontrollable mix of hatred and insanity. He bared his long white fangs. "__You bastards! I will rip out your throats; one by one, just like I did with my family!__" He leapt forward, but the chains kept him rooted in one spot._

_The lioness spoke up. Her voice was feminine. "__Kill him, Mankar. He's just a worthless mutt! We don't want him to come back and kill us, now don't we?__" She asked. Her violet eyes stared at the canine, whom turned his attention on her._

_Another voice spoke up. "__Let him spend the rest of his life in Tamriel! Hunters will try to kill him. After all, he is a wolf!__" The ogre shouted._

"_That traitor deserves to die! And we would be happy to do the job!__" The Minotaur roared out. He hefted an axe on one shoulder and started towards the chained dog, only to be stopped by the bird._

"_I will not allow it! He doesn't deserve to die!__" She screeched._

_The bear, Mankar, spoke up. "__The two of you will be banished from Oblivion, never to return under the pain of death! But, you two can redeem yourselves if you bring us the Amulet of Kings from the Emperor of Cyrodiil.__"_

"Kalen, you're acting really weird today." This time Lena returned him out of his thoughts. "Do you have a fever or something?"

Kalen's expression was melancholic and painful. He put on a fake smile. "I'm alright. I'm just a little tired, that's all." He walked past the fifteen-year-old and put his hand on the door of the big house. _What will I do?_ He hesitated. _If I give the amulet to Jauffre, I won't ever get another chance to join the cult. If I give it to the cult, I will lose the trust of Lena and Adrial, but gain my former honor back._ He had a choice to make, and just then he made the most painful decision of his life.

**AN:** Alright! Yeah, now you know more about Kalen and Adrial and Sieve. The chapters will keep coming as soon as I can write them!


	9. 9: Today's just not the day

**AN:** Wow. After a reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaallyyyyyy long time, I'm back! I have returned, with new ideas for my story :)

* * *

Kalen grumbled as he tripped over a large root. "What did I ever do to make the Nine hate me so much? You would think that taking that stupid gem to Jauffre would make them happier. After all, it is THEIR amulet." The three (four if you count Rosemary) were back on the road. After giving the amulet to Jauffre, they were told to go find the last heir, Martin. He was apparently living as a priest in Kvatch. They were wandering in the Imperial Reserve; a large forest on the western side of Cyrodiil. 

Adrial turned to him. "Oh, I really don't know. Maybe you pissed them off a _long time ago_." She stepped over a rock jutting out of the ground. "Gods seem to keep grudges."

The Imperial glared at the Bosmer. "They don't seem to hate you. No, wait. They do. You're stuck with me. For eternity, I think."

Immediately, the ground started shaking. A small group of deer that were nearby scattered in fear. Rosemary reared, dropping bags that were supposed to be fastened to her saddle. Kalen and Adrial looked at each other; both of them were pale. Lena looked around in surprise. "What's going on?" She asked the other two.

"A gate is opening. And I can bet anything that it's opening in Kvatch," Kalen replied. "Adrial, take Lena and Rosemary back to the Imperial City."

"What gate? What the heck's going on? I don't want to leave, and I'm not going to!" Lena shouted. Her stubborn and reckless attitude got the better of her as she sprinted off into the direction of Kvatch.

"Wait, Lena!" Adrial cried after the young Breton girl. "Kalen, come on! We have to get her before something bad happens!"

Kalen wasn't listening. He was just staring at the sky, his blue and red eyes blank. The Bosmer followed his gaze upward. The sky was red. Black lightning flashed across the grey clouds.

When Adrial looked back at the Imperial, she asked "Are you going to do anything to stop this? This is _our_ home too, now."

Kalen finally looked back at her, sadness in his eyes. "It's a trap, Adri. They are trying to do two things here. One, they will kill the final heir off, and two, they want to get _us_. I don't think we should go, even if Lena's going," he whispered. "We just can't fight against some demons, you know."

"You mean _you_ can't." Adrial shot back bitterly. "You're afraid. You might not care what happens to these people, but I do, and I'm going. You can go back to the prison for all I care. I can't believe I tried to protect you," she whispered, turning away from the Imperial and, taking Rosemary by the reins, walked off toward Kvatch.

* * *

Sieve gazed through the Oblivion gate with a satisfied look on his face. "The red sky is so beautiful today." He whispered to himself. The Dunmer was responsible for keeping this gate open, no matter how many humans came through. Only two things were bothering him, though. One was that Kalen and Adrial had yet to show up, and the second was that the mortals outside were still strong enough to repel the daedra he sent out. 

"My lord, Sieve," a deep, raspy voice interrupted the Dark Elf's thoughts. It was a Dremora, although a rather low-ranking one. "We have spotted the Bosmer, along with a young mortal Breton. Any orders?"

Sieve grinned; a horrible, insane grin. "Yes. Take a large, larger than normal, raid party and bring both of them to me, _alive_. Kill any others you may find, except Kalen, if you happen to see him."

The Dremora nodded. "Yes, my lord," he replied, and walked off toward a large obsidian tower.

Sieve turned back to the Gate. "What a smart boy you are, Kale. I assume you know it is a trap, don't you? Too bad Adrial and the kid just aren't as smart as you," he whispered to himself. Repositioning himself so he was comfortable, the dark elf settled in to wait. He was very patient, after all.

* * *

Kalen swore under his breath as he read the note again for the fifth time. A Dremora had shot an arrow with the note attached at a tree next to the Imperial. The note read as followed; 

_"Kalen, I regret to inform you that if you are not going to cooperate willingly, then I will have to lead you into the trap myself. Your little friends are here, in Oblivion, waiting for your arrival. I hope you will come to see the little girl burn, because that is exactly what she will do in two hours time starting when the letter is delivered to you. Be a good dog, and get your ass into hell, Kale! -Sieve"_

"I'm going to murder him," he whispered to himself. Shifting into a wolf, he sprinted in the direction of Kvatch.

* * *

**AN:** Yeah. This chapter took a while, and so will others. (I'm busy writing chapters, NOT playing Halo!) 

**Random facts:** I have every character I created on my computer as a character in Oblivion, except for Sieve. He was actually a character I created in Morrowind, and I am just too lazy to create him in Oblivion (Because I hate the elf male voices in Oblivion; it makes them sound like panzies!).

Kalen actually has green eyes in my game.


End file.
